SPFL Tier Three Play-off Semi-Final, second leg, The Rock, 11/5/21.

Another unrelaxing 90 minutes.

Stranraer had the best of the first ten minutes but then we began to come into the game and dominatedthe rest of the half. We actually played some football, passing the ball around on the deck!

I thought we’d rue the two chances Jaime Wilson didn’t put away, playedd into the edge of the box and running on to shoot which the keeper blocked but the rebound he skied over. Then another good passing move saw him hit it first time but wide.

His goal came after a bit of ping-pong in their box. It fell to him and he just smashed it.

The second half Stranraer came out very lively and it was like that for the rest of the game with us only making the occasional foray upfield. It was after one of these that Carsy mistimed his challenge at the edge of the box and gave away a penalty. Thankfully their player hit it against the base of the post and it bounced out for a goal kick.

We could maybe have scored again when Robert Jones worked space for himself in their box but didn’t pull the trigger early enough and also when Nick McAllister ran almost the length of the pitch betaing several defenders only for the keeper to save his shot with his leg, and Robert Jones couldn’t get to the rebound in time.

Unfortunately Jaime Wilson hobbled off halfway through the half. What goal threat we’ll have without him is dubious.

Curiously the time seemed to fly by. 20 minutes left became 15, then 10 then 3, then injury time but Stranraer couldn’t fashion thnmselves another chance.

So now it’s on to the play-off final. Against Edinburgh City, the first time we’ll have played them, I think – in this incarnation anyway. Away on Monday, then home on Thursday of next week.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 6/4/21.

Groundhog Day (minus one.)

The one being the goal that Montrose didn’t score. We had a very good save by Sam Ramsbottom to thank for that (so getting us back one of the four points swung between us and Forfar from that mistake. He’s our only keeper now that Chris Smith has left to spend more time with his job.) He does seem to be a good enough shot stopper but while his kicking can be long he had another dreadful kick out during the first half which luckily didn’t fall to a Montrose player.

But yet again we didn’t score ourselves.

We did have a shot on target though. It was a very weak effort from sub Robert Jones after good approach work from fellow sub James Wallace.

We have six goals from fourteen league games. It doesn’t take a genius to work out where we’re going wrong.

Onwards to the East Fife game on Thursday evening.

Dumbarton nil, anyone?

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 24/11/20.

My second experience of live-streaming. It was slightly less odd than before. The emotional engagement is diluted compared to actully being at the game.

We had more possession for the first ten minutes or so but never really threatened their goal. It’s always ominous when you know the opposition is likely to be good but don’t show anything. Sure enough once they came into it we were more or les on the back foot.

Their first was a good cross but the guy who scored it, coming in at the back post, was totally unmarked.

Their second – a great strike from a free-kick – I thought came from a foul that wasn’t a foul. Whether Kevin Dabrowski in goal might have done better is difficult to tell on a live stream. He is a bit susceptible to long-range hits it seems. He was also beaten by a shot from well outside the box which hit the bar.

In the second half things just went downhill. Ryan McGeever had had to be substituted at half-time, then Adam Frizell, then Rico Quitongo and finally Nat Wedderburn all for injuries it seemed. We’re lucky we’ve got ten days before our next game for the chance to recover.

Even so, sub Denny Johnstone managed to hit the post in an attack which the stream mostly missed, then a fine Robert Jones cross from the bye-line was headed wide by Jaime Wilson.

Their third was another defensive shocker from us, a long through ball from that Wilson chance wasn’t dealt with and their player managed (luckily?) to evade Dabrowski’s attempt to steal the ball as he went round him.

Very late on Johnstone again had a strike which the keeper tipped round the post at full stretch. Even later Wilson played in Robert Jones for a sitter but he took too long to hit it and allowed the defender to block it wide.

So in a game where Falkirk more or less strolled it we could have scored three times – and that with players shoe-horned into positions not their usual. But we didn’t score at all.

The good start to the league season feels like a long time ago now.

SPFL Tier 3, New Bayview, 1/2/20.

Well we threw this one away.

We had dominated the first few minutes and then they scored in their first attack, a clearance falling to former Son Scott Agnew whose shot took two deflections on its way past Conor Brennan who nevertheles looked slow to get down to it.

Their second was a joke. Instead of dealing with a loose ball at the edgeof the box, we stood off it and allowed their player to volley it home. They could have made it three when for the only time in the game they got a man in on goal but Brennan’s spread legs deflected the shot.

The lifeline came at the very end of the first half Morgyn Neill heading home a Joe McKee free-kick.

About fifteen minutes into the second half Stefan McCluskey chased down an East Fife defender forcing him into a mistake. McCluskey then set up new signing Robert Jones to finish neatly. We were all over them for the next ten minutes and then all that hard work was undone as we gave away a free-kick. Scott Agnew’s delivery was headed home too easily. All those tall guys in our side and we lose a goal like that. Again I thought Brennan might have positioned himself better.

It was all over when we conceded another free-kick not far outside the box. Just about everybody in the ground knew where Scott Agnew was going to place it – and he duly did.

Our defence in this one was a complete bomb-scare, totally unlike the display at Pittodrie two weeks ago. Misplaced passes in midfield didn’t help either.

Sam Wardrop at right back didn’t look like the player he was in his first spell at the club, Ross Forbes – back for a third or fourth time with us depending on what you count – didn’t, or couldn’t, impose himself. Robert Jones up front though was a success, despite his height very good with the ball at his feet and composed for his goal. Jai Quitongo came on when the game was lost but showed some nice close control and a few neat touches.

The most frustrating aspect of the game though was that East Fife didn’t have to work hard for their win and didn’t look much above us, if any at all.

Going forward we’ll need to hope the useless defending is eradicated and the new boys gel together. OtherWise it’s going to be a nervous few months.